posted
I'm really concerned about heartworm in humans, and I'm wondering if any of you have considered this. I used to work for a vet, and it is on the rise in dogs - in fact, it's pretty common in cats, too. It's 'rare' among humans, but honestly, how many doctors think to check humans for this?
The reason I worry is because I used to get eaten by mosquitos more than any other family member. I'm even more worried because several years ago when my symptoms entered a new 'phase', I had smashed a mosquito, and along with it its stinger, into my leg while it was feeding on me.
It swelled to 3 or 4 inches and got hard and was sore for quite a while because I'd never gotten the stinger out.
Coincidentally, my symptoms in recent years have been palpitations, getting winded and weak after any exercise pretty much, and this stabbing pain just off to the left of center on my back, and again, just above my left rib on the front of me. Plus, a chronic cough to go along with all this.
I don't think it's all that far-fetched to be concerned about heartworm. Take a look at these links to heartworm:
Can humans get heartworm disease? Yes, but it is very rare. Usually in humans, the worms migrate to the lungs instead of the heart. Here they form a lesion that can be seen on X-rays. There are normally few symptoms noticed with human heartworm infestation. Surgical removal of the lung lesion may be performed, if necessary.
What are the signs of adult heartworm infestation? In most cases, until the infestation is considered severe, there are relatively few symptoms. Dogs with adult heartworms may appear listless, may lose weight, or lack endurance when exercising. A cough is often the first sign of an infection.
In cats, signs may include coughing, vomiting, difficult or rapid breathing, seizures, blindness, poor appetite, and weight loss.
Like I said, I wouldn't doubt it's 'rare' in humans because, like Lyme, doctors don't routinely test for it. What does everybody think?
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lymie tony z
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5130
posted
Well nothing would surprise me anymore...
However... I have the same symptoms as you and I have had recent xrays and catscans and echocardios and no worms or lesions have been found...
And I've seen heartworms up close and they are really hard to miss...
I guess it would depend on what pedigree one was! LOL
I think you can relax...zman
-------------------- I am not a doctor...opinions expressed are from personal experiences only and should never be viewed as coming from a healthcare provider. zman Posts: 2527 | From safety harbor florida(origin Cleve., Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Tj33: "When you kiss a dog, you are kissing its rear end also"
Kiss a cat and it will rip your lips off...
I like cats..
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo:
quote:Originally posted by Tj33: "When you kiss a dog, you are kissing its rear end also"
Kiss a cat and it will rip your lips off...
I like cats..
Ditto-ROF
As for the heartworm.....
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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tailz
Unregistered
posted
Hmmm? I don't know. See, I would guess they are easy to see during like an autopsy, but on a scan I have to wonder if they would be so obvious -especially since docs aren't really looking for them in people.
I'm willing to bet more people have them than we think. I even think my cat died of heartworm now - she had an enlarged heart and all of the symptoms - but we don't really hear too much about heartworm in cats either, which is why it was probably missed.
I had a cardiac echo today. I swear I saw thin white wiggly things on the screen. I know I'm paranoid here, but I want my yearly heartworm test, too. I knew I had Lyme, and I was right. Then I swore I had something else even though my coinfections were coming back negative. I was right - staph!
I look at it this way - if they let you walk around with Lyme long enough, you pick up things like staph. And then if you walk around with those long enough, of course a mosquito is going to want to inject heartworm into you.
I actually broke the stinger off in my leg when a mosquito was feeding on me!
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lymie tony z
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5130
posted
Hey tails,
skeeters don't have stingers...
you broke off it's siphoning mouth...
and if you can see that well....
holy crap!
hey go get tested...
we've got wormlike chetes in our brains and cns...and other organs...
why not worms too!
I was going to add something about kissing pups and the other...
But I want to stay here awhile longer this time!
LOL
zman
-------------------- I am not a doctor...opinions expressed are from personal experiences only and should never be viewed as coming from a healthcare provider. zman Posts: 2527 | From safety harbor florida(origin Cleve., Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
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tailz
Unregistered
posted
You're right! I broke the mouthpart off in my leg! It looked like a little hummingbird while it was feeding off of me.
So far my coinfections are negative (except for staph), and I think the only reason they turned positive is because I'd bumped my vitamin C crystals up prior to the blood culture collection this time.
The only other difference with these blood cultures was 1) it was taken from the picc line above my heart 2) they filled the bottles this time (instead of only letting one tiny squirt in each bottle).
But whatever I have, I didn't get it from a tick.
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